snakes

So, we did our first trip to CP, and it was wonderful. The only bad thing: we ventured into Sandusky and climbed out on the rocky areas by the docks to get some photos of the park from across the water. Having spent a good 10 minutes climbing carefully across the rocks, we were in a bad way when we spotted piles and piles of snakes on the outer edges of the rocks. I'm certain we broke several laws of physics scampering back onto land. There were probably 50 or more snakes out there. What were these things? We saw them on the rocks as well as swimming in the water.

They were snakes. Just like you said.

As someone who's not afraid of seeing one snake or two...that story scares the sh*t out of me!!

I wonder if they were Lake Erie Water Snakes. The type that "attacked" Mike Rowe on Dirty Jobs.

We googled "snakes" and "Sandusky", and the Lake Erie Watersnake is what came up. These snakes looked a little different, though, than the Lake Erie type - they were very long - probably 4 to 5 feet - and all black and some looked splotchy on their backs.

Yeah, scared the sh*t out of us, too. I'm really afraid of snakes, but my husband isn't, and even he was pretty creeped out by the sheer number of them. A helpful local boater laughed as us as we scampered across the rocks in fear.

^^Since you had the long-zoom camera with you, did you not take any pics of them once reaching "safety"??

Good point: here's the photo we took (links to Flickr). This one was off by itself, so it's probably easier to see what type of snake it is.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39248762@N04/3607194217/

The only thing I hate worse than snakes on a rock is snakes on a plane!

Pretty sure those are Lake Erie Water Snakes. They aren't poisonous, but do have a nasty bite. Good thing you stayed away.

I know I heard about one making it's way around gristmill, and the back of the park in 2004. Made for some interesting radio chatter for about an hour one night. They caught it and removed it.

We had one get up onto the Millennium unload platform in 2004. It actually climbed into a train. It was quite the scene seeing Environmental Services and Management chasing it around...

I seen one in the water near mantis' queue a few years ago. The ride ops said there are two of them around that area. I do not know the species.

Peace, Mikey

Snakes. Ugh. Only if behind glass or if some zoo employee is holding it securely for me to pet nervously, but gently. If that was me i'd still be frozen to a rock somewhere.

Reminds me of that Urban Legend of the snake (copperhead or water moccasin) that lives under the carousel, and when it bites the little girl she says to her parents "the horsey bit me" and they blow it off as nonsense to, usually, tragic consequences. I've heard this "happened...swear it" so far at CP, Camden, and LeSourdesville!

That was a watersnake definitely. They are all over the shoreline in the area, just like the ones on "Dirty Jobs". Stay away from them and they will stay away from you.

Now I remember finding a dead rattlesnake at CP when I worked nights a long time ago. It was under a dumpster I was removing behind Happy Friar. Not sure how it got there but it was a rattlesnake.

Wow. I will now check the tain of a coaster before i sit down. Snakes are not for me.

Snakes... Why does it have to be snakes?

^That's exactly what I was thinking.

Got any footage of the snake attack on the dirty jobs guy. The urban Legend about the copperhead/water mocc. is just that for CP. Those snakes more than likely would not be able to survive the Winters there. As far as down south maybe, but there would be a nasty wound to go with the bite and unless the kid was Iron Man and shrugged off pain, the kid would be screaming bloody murder.

There are actually two subspecies of water snakes native to the area. The common water snake is the much more frequently spotted of the two. The Lake Erie watersnake is a subspecies of the common snake. Both are similar but the Lake Erie Snake is slightly genetically different. The Lake Erie subspecies is primarily found on Put In Bay (South Bass Island for you tourists) Kelley's Island and the Marblehead and Catawba Peninsulas.

What you saw was called a "mating ball" and it is just what it sounds like. (You can figure out the rest...) You see a lot of them on breakwalls in early summer. Regardless of which species they are they are mean and pretty aggressive. I used to cut grass on a tractor on Catawba and I'd occasionally clip a snake or two by the breakwall. The good news is that they are non-poisonous.

Water Moccasins or Cottonmouths are not native to the area and cannot survive our winters. They usually aren't found north of the black swamp in northern Virginia.

There's actually 3 subspecies of water snakes. The Copperbelly, the Northern, and the Lake Erie. The LE Water Snake is only found in a few select locations as it has a VERY small habitat range (smallest of any snake in the world actually).

The snake in the photo however is much to dark to be a Lake Erie Water snake (even if it was a male) and I doubt they are found that far south on the LE coast. The ones you saw Chickadee were most likely Black Rat snakes. Unlike like the LE Water Snake, it's very commonly found throughout the LE coast where they diet on fish, frogs, mice, etc. It's a fast snake and is very quick to get out of your way. IF confronted they will act out in aggression.....much like most animals that feel threatened. There's really no danger with any snake in north Ohio for that fact.

The Copperhead is SCARCELY ever found that far north and the Massasauga is just rarely seen (as is the Timber Rattlesnake). They're both very seclusive snakes and prefer to not bite (only as a last resort). Bite are slightly painful and rarely result in death. The main thing to always know if you get bitten by a venomous snake is to remain calm and keep your heartbeat low to prevent the flow of the venom through the bloodstream.

And for the amount you saw. Mating is very unlikely this far into summer. Their mating season is between late march and early May. My guess is they we're congregated there for food or it was good spot to sun bask.

As you can see, I know a bit about snakes. It's another one of my hobbies. ::gasp, another hobby besides coasters:::)